


the bend and broken moon

by possibilityleft



Category: Discworld - Terry Pratchett
Genre: Extra Treat, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-11-08
Updated: 2014-11-08
Packaged: 2018-02-20 22:30:21
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 488
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2445485
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/possibilityleft/pseuds/possibilityleft
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Angua meets Death on a cold, dark night.  Death says hi.</p>
            </blockquote>





	the bend and broken moon

**Author's Note:**

  * For [originally](https://archiveofourown.org/users/originally/gifts).



Like any member of the Watch, Angua is acquainted with Death. Unlike most members, she can see when he's around. If she's alone, occasionally she'll give him a professional nod, but after that, she tries to be a little more careful. It may not be her own death she's seeing -- she doesn't think that will be so obvious -- but that doesn't mean she won't try to prevent the one that might be occurring. That is her job, after all.

She's running full-tilt down an alley, the cobbles steady under her paws, when the person she's pursuing tosses the peppermint oil. She doesn't duck fast enough and her eyes water so fast that she partially misses the sharp turn and bangs her head into a brick. Stars bloom in her vision and she rockets back on her haunches, covering her nose and whining and growling what would have been a variety of curses had she had the right mouth to share them. Out of the corner of her blurred vision, she sees a cloaked figure.

The thief is long gone and there's no way Angua is going to catch him now. But Death is still here. Maybe someone else is going to come along. Angua has a clothing stash nearby so she goes to find it. She traces her way back the way she came afterwards, in case the thief dropped something or left some kind of clue. Probably a waste of time, but she could at least recover the vial and see if she could track down its source. She can't smell anything. She always feels like she can't smell anything when she changes back to human, but it's worse than usual. Her nostrils still burn.

She's surprised to see that Death is still hovering around the alley, and even more surprised when Death drops her hood. The scythe is the same as usual, but Angua recognizes the woman. She'd wondered a little why a schoolteacher would frequent Biers, but no one at Biers ever asks these questions, not if they want to keep all of their fluids on the inside. Angua doesn't know Susan well, so she isn't sure what to say.

"Late night," she says. "I don't suppose you got a good glimpse of that guy when he ran by."

"He's not on my list, that's all I know," Susan says frankly. Angua hides a shiver. She's definitely not going to ask where the list comes from. Susan pulls a small silver watch from a pocket and checks the time. She nods to herself.

"Do I need to stick around?" Angua asks.

"Natural death," Susan says. They are awkwardly silent for a moment.

"I'll see you Friday," Angua says. "If you're not working."

This seems to be the right thing to say. Susan smiles. "Grandfather should be back by then."

Angua leaves her there in the alley, waiting patiently, and she heads back to the station.


End file.
